Will Grigg's strike at Burnley proves he has lost none of his poacher's instinct despite his lean spell in front of goal, according to Jack Ross.

Grigg scored the Black Cats' opener in the 3-1 Carabao Cup win over Premier League Burnley almost a fortnight ago, at a stroke opening his account for the season and ending a drought that had begun in April.

It was the sixth time he has found the net in all competitions since making a big money move to Wearside at the end of January but, by his own standards as one of League One's most prolific marksmen, he has found goals hard to come by since joining Sunderland.

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But when Burnley midfielder Danny Drinkwater deflected a cross into his path at Turf Moor, Grigg reacted in a flash to control and finish.

"Those are the kind of chances that Will's career has been based upon," said Ross .

"He is an instinctive finisher, and his goals might not always be the prettiest goals but he gets himself into areas and when he gets chances he invariably scores.

"If you look back to the start of his time at the club he was perhaps unfortunate not to get off to a flyer because he had quite a few opportunities in his early games, and if he had put those away we might be having different conversations.

"But that didn't happen so he has had to graft at it and now he is up and running this season, it will do him the world of good."

Grigg's efforts were acknowledged by the travelling supporters who applauded him off when he was substituted near the end in Lancashire, and Ross says the goal - and the fans' reaction - will have given the 28-year-old a huge confidence boost.

He said: "I appreciated that [the fans' reaction] and I'm sure Will did too, because he knows there is an expectation and pressure on him.

"I've said often enough that he wants to do well here and I thought he played well at Burnley.

"It shows his strength of character that despite missing a chance the previous Saturday against MK Dons - which was a big chance for him and one you would think he would score nine times out of ten - he bounced back quickly and took his chance in the next game at Burnley.

"I'm pleased for him. He is a good guy, he wants to do well and he has the best intentions to do well, there are no problems with the way he goes about his work and it was great for him to get off the mark."

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Following that win at Burnley, Grigg was on the bench for the league game at Peterborough last weekend.

With Sunderland trailing 2-0, he came on as a substitute as Sunderland searched for a way back into the game.

But he had no opportunity to make an impact as Posh added a third goal almost immediately, and then the dismissals of first Luke O'Nien and then Charlie Wyke left the Black Cats facing a damage limitation exercise.

O'Nien's red card has been overturned by Wyke will sit out Saturday's trip to Accrington Stanley and that could give Grigg the chance to start at the Crown Ground.